1. Background to the new directly elected Mayor
2. The role of the directly elected Mayor
3. Entities supporting the directly elected Mayor
4. Other roles at Limerick City and County Council

1. Background to the new directly elected Mayor

The 2019 plebiscite

• In May 2019, the people of Limerick city and county voted in favour of a proposal for a directly elected Mayor with executive functions.

Designing the office of the directly elected Mayor of Limerick city and county

• The process to define the specific duties and role of the directly elected Mayor involved a wide range of stakeholders from Limerick city and county, such as representatives from the local business community, the academic, health and community sectors, and the general public.
• Council members and executives also contributed, and the participants drew from studies that looked at elected mayors in other jurisdictions around the world.

Legislation

• The legislation to create this new role was signed by the President in early March 2024.
• Limerick is the first ever local authority in Ireland where the voters have been able to directly elect their Mayor, and their choice John Moran is the first mayor in the country's history to have executive powers.

Back to top

2. The role of the directly elected Mayor

Mayor's role in Limerick City and County Council

• Creating the position of a directly elected Mayor for Limerick city and county is intended to enhance democratic accontability around policy choices and service delivery within Limerick which represents a major gain for all of the county's residents.
• The Mayor has an executive and representative role in Limerick City and County Council.
  • Executive – the Mayor has responsibility for many of the functions that were previouusly performed by the Chief Executive, who at is present the executive head of Limerick City and County Council.
  • Representative – the Mayor assumes the role of Limerick's first citizen, which was previously performed by the Cathaoirleach, and so represents the city and county locally, on the national stage and in an international setting. 

Mayor’s executive functions – significant change

• The directly elected Mayor of Limerick a position unique in Ireland is the first Irish mayor with executive powers. This means that they are able to develop and implement strategies and initiatives that benefit Limerick city and county.
• As a result, the office of Mayor in Limerick has changed radically: the current role replaced by an officeholder who will personally define and oversee many of the policies that shape the local authority's activities.
• Some of the fields covered by the Mayor's executive powers:
  • Strategic planning – the Mayor designs and proposes long-term plans that drive the economic and spatial development of Limerick as a whole, such as the Limerick development plan
  • Housing strategy – the Mayor puts forward a housing strategy for Limerick for approval by the Council and ensures its delivery
  • Road transport – the Mayor has a focus on road transport and safety in Limerick, which involves road maintenance and improvement, along with traffic management
  • Environment – the Mayor develops services that protect and enhance the environment in Limerick

Mayoral programme

• After taking office, Mayor John Moran, after consultation with officials and the councillors, produced a document that explained his vision and objectives for his period as Mayor. This document will be known as the mayoral programme, and it will remain in force for the Mayor's entire term of office.

Term of office

• The election for the Mayor takes place on the same day as the local election for Limerick's councillors.
• The Mayor remains in office for five years with the same electoral cycle as the councillors.
• The Mayor can serve a maximum of two terms of office. These two terms can be consecutive or non-consecutive.

Directly elected Mayor and Limerick City and County Council

• The Mayor has received additional funding (often referred to as the Mayoral Fund) from central government to put their programme into action. Furthermore, he is responsible for proposing Limerick City and County Council's annual budget to councillors, who will vote on this budget.
• The Mayor will not just be accountable to the public at election time – while in office, his performance will also be scrutinised by councillors at the council's plenary meetings. Councillors are entitled to study and question mayoral reports and participate in Mayor's questions.

Back to top

3. Entities supporting the directly elected Mayor

• The creation of the new position of directly elected Mayor was a departure from the prior structure of local government in Limerick City and County Council. Now there are three principal players namely:
  • The elected Limerick City and County Council represented by the Priomh Comhairleoir
  • A directly elected Mayor with executive functions who is the First Citizen of Limerick  
  • A Director General – formerly the Chief Executive

New structures to support the Mayor

• A Limerick Mayoral and Government Consultative Forum facilitates engagement between the Mayor and the national government.
• An Implementation Committee supports the Mayor and helps with the delivery of the Mayoral Programme.
• A Limerick Project Ireland 2040 Delivery Board focuses on implementing the key planning and infrastructure strategies in the Limerick area. The board is chaired by the Mayor.
• A Limerick Delivery Board Transport Subgroup, with a focus on transport infrastructure and services, is also chaired by the Mayor.

Staff

• The Mayor will have five administrative staff to support their office. This may include a special advisor if the Mayor so chooses, in which case there will be an advisor and four administrative staff.
• The Director General shall also make such other staffing and organisational arrangements as may be necessary for the purposes of the carrying out by the Mayor of the functions of Limerick City and County Council for which the Mayor is responsible.
• The term of appointment of a special adviser will end when the Mayor ceases to hold office.
• All administrative staff will be drawn from local authority employees and chosen in consultation with the Mayor.

Other bodies

• The Mayor is automatically a member of a number of local and regional government bodies:
  • Limerick City and County Council - as an ex officio member of the council, the Mayor is subject to the same rights, responsibilities and duties as the other elected members
  • The Southern Regional Assembly
  • The Local Community Development Committee

Back to top

4. Other roles at Limerick City and County Council

Elected council

• The elected council retains its primacy and performs a crucial governance role in the oversight of the Mayor. It does not lose its current powers and functions.
• The Mayor is fully accountable to the elected council in relation to their mayoral executive functions, including through the Mayor’s Report and Mayor’s questions at plenary council meetings.

Reserved functions

• The elected council has reserved functions. These will not change. They include:
  • Adopting the council’s annual budget by way of vote
  • Adopting council policies
  • Altering the local property tax rate
  • Making a city and county development plan
  • Deciding the annual rate on valuation for commercial rates
  • Selling or disposing of council land
  • Approving grant schemes
  • Adopting a corporate plan and a service delivery plan

Príomh Chomhairleoir and functions

• There will no longer be a Cathaoirleach. Instead, the Príomh Chomhairleoir will chair the elected council's meetings and act as its speaker, with support from the Leas-Phríomh Chomhairleoir. 

Director General

• The Director General replaces the Chief Executive. A range of executive functions will remain the responsibility of the Director General. Their powers and responsibilities relate to the day-to-day operation of Limerick City and County Council.

Overview of the Director General's functions

• The role of the Director General is to support the Mayor and carry out other fuunctionos retained by the Director General. These specific functions remain with the Director General and they are accountable for their performance to the council. These can be summarised as:
  • The administration of schemes, grants and loans, including decisions on applications under enactments for the granting of a permission, approval, permit, consent, certificate, licences, or other form of statutory authorisation
  • HR and local authority staffing matters, including the appointment of staff and the preparation of HR strategies
  • Functions arising from the accounting officer role, managing and accounting for the council’s finances
  • Functions relating to the holding of polls and the management of elections
  • Functions arising from the operation of key schemes and service level agreements such as HAP Shared Services
  • Compliance and enforcement matters and the taking of legal proceedings arising from these functions

Review of the legislation and the role of Mayor

• The legislation contains a provision to review the operation of the legislation within three years. This, along with the role of the Consultative Forum, will enable the further development and expansion of the role of the directly elected Mayor going forward.

Back to top

Download the latest documents

Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2024 

Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023

Explanatory memorandum – Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023